


The Emperor's Birthday

by stardreamer



Category: The Goblin Emperor - Katherine Addison
Genre: Family, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 23:33:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4456748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardreamer/pseuds/stardreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Maia finds out that his birthday can be fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Emperor's Birthday

By the time of the second official birthday of Edrehasivar VII Zhas, Maia was considerably more comfortable in his role, and the idea of piles of presents and letters bearing birthday wishes was no longer so overwhelming. But he was still up and about unconscionably early, and down to breakfast while Csethiro was yet sound asleep. She seemed to have been sleeping more than usual of late, and Maia hoped there was no reason for concern. 

"Serenity," Csevet said when he appeared in the doorway, "we have separated out the presents sent by your family, thinking that you might enjoy looking at them before you officially begin your day." 

Somewhat to Maia's own surprise, he found that the idea pleased him. "Yes," he replied, "we would like that. Thank you for thinking of it." 

The family gifts had been moved to the desk in the Tortoise Room, where there was also a side table with hot tea and some light, sweet pastries. Maia sat down, accepted a cup of tea, and surveyed the stack with a mixture of pleasure and confusion. "Where should we begin?" 

"If you will allow us?" Csevet said. He selected a package and handed it to Maia. "This is from Osmerrem Gormened - and the Ambassador, of course." 

When he opened it, Maia found half a dozen smaller packages inside. There was also a beautifully-calligraphed card that read, _"To His Imperial Serenity Edrehasivar VII: We understand that you are fond of tea. Please do us the honor to accept samples of some exclusive single-estate Barizheise varieties. If any of them have special appeal, we can arrange to provide more, and will be very pleased to do so."_

While the card was signed by Osmerrem Gormened, Maia understood very well that the gift had multiple levels of meaning; it was an unexceptionable way to introduce the emperor to some different kinds of trade goods, with the further possibility that at some future time whichever types he favored could be marketed elsewhere as "Enjoyed by the Emperor of the Ethuveraz!" Not that he found this in any way offensive - it was how politics worked, after all, and the choice of tea was an excellent one. Maia sniffed at all the packets and selected one. "We will have this variety with dinner tonight, and please write a suitable thank-you to the Ambassador and his wife." 

Csevet murmured, "Serenity," and handed him another package. "This is from your Barizheise aunts - apparently they all went in together on it." 

Inside was a bewildering array of smaller objects, which revealed themselves upon sorting out to be: two matched silk-velvet shawls dyed in an amazing starburst pattern of blue, green, and plum; a small bottle of perfume with a strong, sweet odor, strung on a delicate chain so that it might be carried on one's person; a set of gold earrings with fire-opals like the ones the Great Avar had worn on his visit; a box of candied brown fruits; a fan carved from a white material that was definitely not ivory, in an elaborate filigree design; and a box which proved to contain a collection of sticks and a stone with one flat and one rounded side. 

The enclosed card, written in a bold, strong hand, gave the provenance of each item, most of which had been acquired by Shaleän on her travels. The sticks were explained as _"Sandalwood incense from Chadevan, used to perfume a space. You put the pointed end into the hole in the rock, set the rounded end on fire and then blow out the flame, and it will emit a scented smoke for several hours. DO NOT"_ \- heavily underlined - _"use this in a small or tightly-enclosed area, or the aroma will become overpowering rather than pleasant."_ The card was signed "Shaleän Sevraseched" and undersigned by Thever Sevraseched, Ursu Peresched, Holitho Sevraseched, and Nadeian Vizhenka.

"Would Your Serenity like to try the incense?" Csevet asked. 

"Not right now," Maia said. "Perhaps later, in the audience room - the card indicates that we should proceed with caution. But we are pleased with all of these." He bit into one of the candied fruits, raised an eyebrow, and said, " _Very_ pleased. Are the children coming to breakfast this year? They will certainly want to try these." 

"Yes, Serenity, as you requested last week. They will be here a bit later - Your Serenity came down very early." Csevet picked up another, somewhat larger, package. "This is from your grandfather." 

Maia opened the package to find a pile of folded leather. He picked up the top piece and shook it out. It was a jacket, pure white and butter-soft with exquisite tooled designs that had been dyed in burgundy and forest green, and the piece under it was a matching pair of pants. There were also gloves, green with burgundy and white designs. There was no card. Maia looked at the ensemble, uncomprehending. 

"They are riding leathers, Serenity," said Beshelar. He, or more likely Cala, had unbent enough to take a pastry apiece, and though it was technically improper, Maia was certainly not going to fuss about it on Winternight. "You see that they are cut to fit generously in the arms and legs, for ease of movement. A cavalry rider wearing a similar set would be able to fight in them. These, of course, are parade quality, not made as practical armor." 

"We must thank him," said Maia, running his hands over the soft leather, "although we confess that we cannot imagine an occasion when we would be riding in a parade." He had no doubt that they would fit him perfectly; he suspected a conduit between his grandfather and his Master of Wardrobe, facilitated by Ambassador Gormened. 

"Next we have the presents from the Drazhadeise side of your family," Csevet said, and then hesitated - a signal that Maia had come to learn meant he had something to say that he wasn't sure the emperor would like. 

"What is it?" he asked. 

"We are sorry to report that the Princess Sheveän has not sent anything - not a gift, not even a letter." 

"We are not surprised," Maia said drily. "Indeed, we would have been surprised if she had." Furthermore, he realized, he was far more relieved than offended. Had she sent something, he would have had to compose a response - for that was a duty he would not hand off to someone else - and he would have been hard put to do so in a sincere spirit. "Let us go on to the others, then." 

The package from Nemriän contained a pretty (and expensive) crystal vase, and a note which was entirely proper and entirely impersonal. Maia sighed. He had made overtures to his half sister and her family, and they had all been - politely, impersonally - rejected. There seemed to be no point in pursuing that relationship any further, but he knew that he would continue, periodically, to try. "Say all that is proper for me, Csevet," he said. 

Csevet nodded. "Of course. This next package is from Arbelan Zhasanai." 

It was rectangular, and not very thick. Maia started to open it, caught a glimpse of what was inside, and was suddenly ripping off the covering in frantic eagerness. Inside was a book - not just any book, but a collection of illustrated wonder-tales from Barizhan, and surely he recognized that cover? He opened it, and there were all the tales he remembered his mother reading to him - the weaver-woman's cat, the man who climbed up to the sky to court the Lady of Stars, the traveler who found the lost pirate treasure, and all the rest. His eyes filled with tears, but rather than tears of intolerable grief for his mother, they were tears of joy. 

"Serenity? Are you well?" 

Of course Csevet was concerned. "We are fine, Csevet. We are... happy, too happy to be able to read the card. Will you read it to us, please?" 

Csevet picked up the card. "It says, 'We know that this cannot fully replace the copy which belonged to your mother, but we hope that it will give you pleasure in remembrance of her. - Arbelan Drazharan'." His face lit with understanding. "An exceedingly thoughtful gift." 

"Indeed," Maia said. "We shall have to consider carefully how best to thank her, for it must have taken her no small effort to acquire it." His spate of tears was over, and he dabbed at his eyes with a hand-linen. 

Csevet nodded, clearly making a mental note. Then he handed over the next package. "From the Archduchess Vedero." 

Inside was a small box on stubby legs, exquisitely decorated in a filigree design of interlocking gears, with a hinged glass lid. One side of the interior was lined with velvet and held four bronze cylinders with odd random projections scattered over their surfaces. The other contained a clockwork device, with a key projecting from the side. Maia turned the key a few times experimentally, and light, chiming music filled the room with the melody of a popular dance air. Maia was entranced. "Look, Csevet, you can see it working!" he exclaimed. Mounted amid the clockwork was another cylinder; as it rotated, the pins plucked at a series of what were obviously tuned metal strips. "Let us see the card." 

The card read: _"We hope that Your Serenity will enjoy this 'musical box' designed by one of our friends at the University. The cylinder currently mounted may be exchanged for any of the others by depressing the lever on the left-hand side of the mechanism; each cylinder will play a different tune. With love, your sister Vedero."_

Maia was sorely tempted to try each of the other cylinders in turn. He began to pick one up, and then stopped. "No, that can wait until the children arrive, for they will surely be interested as well. May we see the next item?" 

The next package was very small and contained a knitted nightcap in the royal blue and gold, with a note rather than a card. The note said, _"Happy birthday, Cousin Maia! Suler is teaching me how to knit, and I made this especially for thee. It is the first thing I have made using more than one color, and I hope thou likst it. Love, Ino,"_ in a sprawling, childish hand. 

More love than skill had gone into the making; it was a bit lopsided, and the distribution of the colors was somewhat uneven. Nonetheless, Maia was charmed, and made a mental vow to wear it no matter what his edocharei might have to say. _After all, it is not as though anyone but they, my nohecharei, and Csethiro will see it!,_ he thought. 

Csevet was also smiling indulgently as he handed over another, equally small, package. "This is from Mireän." 

The nature of the contents was not at first obvious - it looked like a pile of blue-and-gold-dyed strings. Maia picked it up experimentally, and discovered that the strings each had a small comb fastened to one end. Csevet drew a breath of comprehension. "They are mane and tail ribbons for a horse, Serenity," he said. "They would be used for the same sort of occasion which would require those riding leathers." The card that came with them said, _"Dear Cousin Maia, we know it is your birthday, but we think both you and Velvet will enjoy these. We have been learning how to braid manes and tails, and we will teach you how if you like. - Your cousin Mireän"._

"Serenity?" said Isheian from her place by the tea-table. At Maia's nod, she continued, "The lady Mireän is extremely fond of horses. My brother works in the stables, and he says she is down there every chance she gets, and is becoming quite a notable rider. She would probably enjoy the opportunity to ride with you sometime." 

"Thank you, Isheian," Maia said. "That is good to know, and we will take it into account." He had found, over the past year, that time spent with his half-brother's children was a very nice way to take a break from his official duties, and one with which it was difficult for anyone to argue. 

The next package was from Idra, and proved to contain several books. The first was a collection of essays on philosophy and government. Cala leaned over to look at the title and said, "We have read that book, Serenity. It contains a great deal of wisdom." The others appeared to be wonder-tales written for adults. The enclosed card read, _"Dear Cousin Maia: These books belonged to our father. We know that he spent a great deal of time thinking about the essays in the philosophy book, and considered them useful guides for a ruler. The other books are ones we used to read together in the evenings, and they are great fun. We hope that you will enjoy them as much as he did. - Your cousin Idra"._

Maia's eyes misted over again at the thought of Idra sharing memories of his father with him. Of all the things lost with the _Wisdom of Choharo_ , the opportunity to have known his half-brother Nemolis was the one he most regretted. "We are most pleased, and look forward to reading these," he said. "Oh, and Csevet - Prince Idra comes of age this year, does he not? We must take some thought concerning an appropriate gift for the occasion." 

"Indeed," Csevet replied. "There are, of course, traditions - but there is also a certain amount of latitude within them. We are certain that something appropriate can be found. This last present is from the Empress Csethiro." 

It was the largest single package in the pile, and contained a wooden chest decorated with lavish inlay and carvings. "A pirate's treasure chest, to be sure," Maia said, amused. The empress was known to be something of a romantic, with a taste for tales of drama and adventure. "What treasures does it hold?" 

He opened it. The chest was almost empty, but in the very bottom were some carefully-folded pieces of fabric. Maia picked them up and shook them out. They were swaddling clothes, made for an infant. 

"So there you are!" came the empress' deep voice from the doorway. "Naughty husband, to be up and about and leave us sleeping on your special day." 

"You were very soundly asleep, and we were loath to disturb you," Maia responded. Then his brain, somewhat belatedly, put two and two together. "Csethiro, are you saying-?" 

"Yes. We are pregnant; the child should be born in time for Harvestfest." 

Maia sprang to his feet, overjoyed; she came to meet him, and it was difficult to say whose embrace was more eager. They stood locked in each others' arms for several minutes, murmuring endearments back and forth in the familiar-first, heedless of secretary, nohecharei, and servers alike. Eventually Csevet emitted a discreet cough. 

"Serenity - it is nearly eight o'clock, and the children will be arriving in the dining room shortly." 

Emperor and empress drew apart. She was blushing, and Maia knew that he would be too if his darker skin didn't hide it. "Wilt thou join me for breakfast with Idra, Mireän, and Ino, my love?" he asked. "It is... something I would like to make into a tradition." 

"With the greatest pleasure, my dearest," she responded. 

Maia offered her his arm. "Csevet, please bring those candied fruits and the musical box to the dining room," he said. "And... thank you again for this. It has been the best birthday of our entire life, and it has barely started yet." 

Csevet bowed deeply. "We hope that it will be but the first of many more," he replied, and they all went down to breakfast.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes on some of the items from the Barisheise aunts' gift:  
> \- The silk velvet shawls look like [this](https://skiingmama.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/dye-mandala-fabric-blue-green-purple.jpg).  
> \- The perfume is an amber and clove scent, and comes in a bottle that looks like [this](http://image0-rubylane.s3.amazonaws.com/shops/easterbelles-emporium/4634.2L.jpg?74).  
> \- The fruits that Maia likes are candied dates.  
> \- The fan is carved from bone and looks like [this](https://p2.liveauctioneers.com/1782/71812/36923352_1_l.jpg).


End file.
